A recently formed political action committee, called Duluth BizPac, aims to create a more business-friendly Duluth.

The group is largely made up of area business owners and funded by donations.

Leaders of the group say several recently passed ordinances within the city are not business friendly and they aim to change that.

"Duluth is not perceived as a business-friendly community, and that's what we want to change, and that is going to mean some city councilors are not going to get our support," said Rob Stenberg, the president of Duluth BizPac.

Stenberg says, with cash on hand, they are prepared to start funneling money to help, what he calls "more business-friendly candidates" get elected for city council, mayor and county commissioner.

"We're going to do it in a positive way, and we're going to be a positive change agent for the city of Duluth," said Stenberg. "What we're trying to say, from the Duluth BizPac is, 'We're not going to get into the name calling, we're not going to get into personalities, we're going to support those initiatives that are business friendly for the city of Duluth, we're going to oppose those that are not business friendly, and we're going to do it in a respectful manner," he said........

via the : District 5580 "Cross Currents" July 2018

DULUTH HARBORTOWN ROTARY

photo credit: Mitchell Diers

At Duluth Harbortown Rotary’s changing of the guard, the founding father and first president of this 34 year old club, Don Holm, accepted the Don Holm fund keepsake from his son, Duane Holm, past Harbortown President and shortly after was as pleasantly surprised as the rest of us to learn that his grandson, Max, would be the Harbortown President in 2019-20! Don, who’s determination to become a Rotarian, even after a classification decision kept him from Duluth Club #25, was joined by his wife, sons and daughters and spouses and grand children as the fund announcement was made.

As he looked over the gathering, the pride and emotion was evident and as the years' highlights were listed by President Mitch Diers. “Look what this group has accomplished." a humble Don later remarked. “When we began, we weren’t certain about much of anything, but we kept moving and look at all of the good that has been done.” When pressed by this observer, he did admit that it was easier to ask for forgiveness than it was for permission. Don’s highlights, after his wonderful wife and family include his tenure as an Elk, Son Dean a past MN Chairman, His Ridgeview Golf Club stewardship, his construction company, one of the city’s finest commercial builders, now run by the 3rd generation and of course, Duluth Harbortown Rotary club, which we consider to be a pretty good thing as well!

Enclosed are links to the 2018 Dragon Boat Festival Photos. You should be able to download and print out anyone you like. Please share with your teams and contacts. Doug can post the links on the website. If anyone had a “bad hair day” let me know and I will remove the photo off the site. Thanks to all the volunteers who helped out. I know I only got photos of some of you. I only posting a small fraction of all my photos and I may be adding more to these links, so check back in the future.

For news, announcements, event promotion social media, media releases and more, please contact Charity Rupp (crupp@starbasemn.org or 218-788-7288). I look forward to sharing the good news and good work that Harbortown Rotary is doing in our community.